Bag filling, closing, and tying machine



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May 19, 1953 Flled Feb 10, 1948 May 19, 1953 E. E. WEST 2,639,069

BAG FILLING, CLOSING. AND 'TYING MACHINE I Filed Feb. 10, 1948 10Sheets-Sheet 2 I H4 .m-

a2 al TToRNEYs,

May 19, 1953 Filed Feb. l0, 1948 f f c f* E. E. wI-:sT

BAG FILLING, cLosING. AND TYING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR,ECZLUCU'dl-l'. VSf

a VM

TTORNEYS,

May 19, 1953 E, E WEST 639,069

BAG FILLING, CLOSING. AND TYING'MACHINE Filed Feb. l0, 1948 10Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Zi' arcZE. /V'f ATTORNEYS,

May 19, 1953 E E wEsT 2,639,069

BAG FILLING, CLOSING. AND TYING MACHINE med Feb 1o, 194e 1o`sheets-sheet 5 INVENTOR BY :QM M

l A ORNEY5,

May 19, 1953 E. E. wEsT BAG FILLING, CLOSING, AND TYING MACHINETTORNEKS,

May 19, 1953 E. E. WEST BAG FILLING, CLOSING, AND 'IIING` MACHINE 10sheets-sheet 7 Filed Feb. l0, 1948 l A INVENTOR Lummen?. ngi

INVENTOR.v v EJwardE. Wst

,4 TTOWEYJ 1 0 Sheets-Sheet 8 E. E. WEST BAG FILLING, CLOSING. AND TYINGMACHINE May 19, 1953 Flled Feb 10, 1948 INVENTOR Ednua MIE Wgl;

ATToRNEY;

10 Sheets-Sheet BY 714 g E. E. WEST BAG FILLING, CLOSING. AND TYING'.MACHINE May 19, 1953 Flled Feb 1o, 1948 May 19,A 1953 E. E. WEST BAGlFILLING, CLOSING. AND TYING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Feb. l0,1948 Patented May' 19,Y 1953 BAG FILLING, CLOSING, AND TYING MACHINEEdward E. West,r Richmond, Va., y asslgnor vto Chase Bag Company,Richmond, Va., a corpo ration of Delaware Application February 10,1948,`Serial No. 7,393

' 12 Claims. (Cl. 226-2) This invention relates to improvements inbagfilling machines and more particularly to a machine for filling a bagof the open-mesh, drawstring type with a predetermined number ofarticles such as citrus fruit, vegetables or the like.

The various objects and advantages of the invention will be bestunderstood from the following description and the accompanying drawingsin which: i

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a bag-filling machine embodyingthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the mechanismk shown in Fig. 1 with certainparts omitted for clarity;

Fig. 3 is a side view taken from the left of the mechanism shown in Fig.1 with certain parts omitted for clarity;

Fig. 4 is a side view of another portion of a bag-filling machineembodying the invention;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the details of a portion of themachine illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a plan view showing the details of the driving mechanism forthe apparatus shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevationshowing thedetails of another portion of themachine illustratedv in Fig. 1;

Figs. 8a, b and c illustrate the operation of the mechanism shown inFig. 8; n e e Fig. 9 is a plan view of apparatus shown in Fig. 8; e

Fig. 10 is a side View of apparatus shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a side View in partial section showing certain details of thedrive for the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3; l

Fig. l2 is a plan view showing certain details of a bag holder;

Fig. 13 is a section view taken along the line I3-I3 of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 14 is a section view taken along the line I4-I4 of Fig. 11.

Referring particularly to Figs. l, 2 and 3, there is a turret head I0with four equidistantly spaced arms I I. At the ends of each of theturret arms II there is a bag holder I2, which will be described morefully hereinafter, to which a bag I3 may be secured in a position toreceive the fruit or other articles that are to be placed in the bag.

The turret head arms II are rotatably supported on the central supportor shaft I4 and extend radially therefrom. 'Ihe arms II are rotated in aclockwise direction, as shown in Fig. 1, about the shaft I4 and inintermittent steps by a Geneva movement. Forming part of the Genevamovement there is a star wheel I5 rotatably mounted on the central shaftI4 and to which the arms 11 are secured by studs I6, as shown in Fig. 1,2 or 3. The star wheel VI5 has four equidistantly spaced slots I1 thatare periodically engaged by a roller I8 carried by a rotating .ann I9.The engagement of the roller I8 with one of the slots causes the starwheel I5 and the turret head arms II to be racked around one-quarterturn in a clockwise direction. y -1 The rotating arm I9 carrying theroller I8 is secured to a rotating member 20 that is fastened to avertical drive shaft 2I supported alongside of the central support orshaft I4. A bevel gear 22 secured to the vertical shaft 2| meshes with asecond bevel gear 23 secured to a horizontal drive shaft 24. Thehorizontal shaft 24 is supported by a bearing block 25. The bearingvblock 25 is supported on the shaft 2| andis also connected toa collar25a on the central support I4 by a pin 25h. A pulley 26 secured to oneend of the horizontal shaft is engaged by a driving belt 21. "The belt21 is driven by a pulley 28 on the main drive shaft 29 which is driventhrough reducing gears 30 by an electric motor 3l.

The periphery of the star wheel I5 between the slots I1 is arcuatehaving a radiusslightly greater than the radius of the rotating member28 so as to permit the member to rotate relative to the star wheelduring the period that the roller is out of engagement with the slotsI1. This also holdsk thel star wheel and the turret head. armsstationary during the time that the roller I8 is completing a revolutionto engage the next slot after moving the star wheel one-quarter turn.The rotating member 28 is cut away beneath the arm I9 carrying theroller I8 to receive the slotted portions of the star wheel and permitsthe star wheel to turn as the roller I8 engages with one of the slots.

When the turret head arms II are driven in the manner just described,they are progressively advanced in a clockwise direction in intermittentsteps to the stations indicated at I, II, III and IV in Fig. 1. At eachof these stations, the turret head arms remain stationary for a certaininterval of time during which individual operations are being performedat each of the stations. The various operations performed at thesestations will be described more fully hereinafter but briefly they areas follows: at station I the bag I3 is placed on the bag holder I2; atstation II a predetermined number of fruit or vegetables are fed intothe bag; at station III the bag isl closed;

3 and at station IV the bag is tied and discharged from the machine. Abag in being lled passes through the operations at each of the stationsin a complete operating cycle of the machine.

The bag I3 which has a drawstring 32 and which may be ofY the meshtypeisplaced on the bag holder I2 atstationlI by theioperatcr. The bagholder I2 consists of a funnel 33 supported by a plate 34 iixed to thearm II. Leaf springs 35 carried by the plate 34 and spaced about thefunnel, press against the outersidelwalls 'f the funnel 33. The mouth ofthe bag is inserted between the leaf springs and the-funnels so that theleaf springs hold the emptybag. implante-temporarily. When the bag isplaced on the holder, the drawstring 32 is secured to a hook 36 carriedon the outer end of the turret'arm I'I.

As the turret arm II carrying the empty bag I3 moves from station I tostation II, a fixed cam follower 31 strikes aleverfBB pivoted on a stud39 fixedto'the plate '34. vThe .otheriend 'of'the lever 38A engages withaistudl 4|Jsecure'dto a camplate 4I which is `movably supported von4'the plate 34. The cam plate '4I .isoperatively connected vto fourcrank levers "42 which .'are carried by th epla'te`3'4 and arespacedabout the outside of the Lfunnel 33. 'The crank levers "42.have'gripp'ers`43'at .their ends whichare arranged to extend into openings4'4 yin the side :walls o'f 'the funnel'33.

'When the camfollower`31 strikes the lever 38, it moves .the leverandthe "camplate 41 'through a small angle'relative'tothe plate 3'4. Themovement of the cam platein'this mannerrotates the cranks'42 so that'the grippers43 'engagewith or pass through the bag :I3 and'extendintothe appropriate openings `4`4 in the "sides of the 'funnel3|. "The engagementofthegrippers withthe bag in this :manner securethebag'to the bag holder for "filling and movement of "theiill'ed `bagto Va subsequent'station.

`At station :II the bag -I3 is i'llled with a 'predetermined number 'offruit, 'vegetables or 'the like .from 'two .downwardlyslopingfparallelchutes or"h'oppers 45shownin-Figs. i4 and5. 'The chutesorihoppers '45, as shown rby 'the dotted lines vrin Fig. 3, arerplacedso that/they'discharge the fruit into the 'opening of the V@funnel 33"and `'the bag held '.thereby'which'are on the Venvd of 'the turret armpositioned at 'station II. `Thechutes-i45 are identical andhave similarcounting mechanisms operating in `conjunction :therewith 'except thatone is right-handed and one lis leftha'nded. For the Vsake ofsimplicity, only ithe 'oper'ationof the right-hand unit willbedescribedbelow.

Asthe turret arm I'I approaches 'station Il, a cam 46 carried 'at thewouter end'of the l'plate "34 on the turret 'arm strikes and depresses alever 41. 'The Alever'll 'issecured to'a rock shaftf48'to which arelease i'lever 4B 'issecured "Ih'efdepression 'of the lever lil impartsa slight 'outward movement to the release lever 49 wh-ich'abuts va pin51! on adetent 51| 'and `a--pin 52onfa pawl 53. The 'detent/'-Iispivcte'd on a'pan'el 54 and Ais 'held in engagement w'itha'ratc'hetwheel -55fbyafspring 5G. 'The-paWl-63 is pivotedfon vtl'ieen'd ro'f lalever 51 -pivoted on the panel and the pawl is held in engagement 'withtherat'ch'et 'wheel'1by'a`springf'58- "-Ilhe outward movement Iotf theArelease lever 49 lifts the detentl andfthepa'wlf "fromengagement w-iththe ratchet -wheel 55 and -ipermits the ratchetwheel to be rotated v-ina counterclockwise direction by zaispring59until a pin 60 carried ontherinsideof the ratchet wheel, strikes a stop 6I secured to the panel53 and thus returns the ratchet wheelto its starting position. The leverl1 lis also connected to 'a paddle stopping lever 62 through a collar 63and a link 64. The link 64 is connected to a lever 65 that is secured toa rock shaft S6 to which the stop lever 62 is secured by an arm 6l.rI'he downward movement of the lever 4l moves the stop lever 62 intoposition to engagean armof a paddle wheel 69.

"The paddle wheel 69 is secured to a shaft 1li supported below the chute4I by a frame 1| and lthe arms 68 of the paddle wheel extend through aslot I2 in the bottom of the chute to engage withthearticles-passingthrough the chute. The

operation of the paddle wheel is controlled throughtheratchetfwheel 50,in a manner to be 4:1escribed,-but when the ratchet wheel is beingreturned to starting position, the stop lever 62 prevents thel paddlewheel from turning and thus prevents the discharge of articles from thechute atsuch time.

As the turret head arm II reaches station II, the cam 46 releases thelever 41 permitting the detent "5| andthe pawl Y53 to be reengaged withthe ratchet'wheel`55 underthe influence of springs 56 and '58,lrespectively. `This`also movesthe stop lever B2 from engagement with thearm 68 ofthe paddlewheel'69 and permits thepaddle wheel'to be vturned bythe'weight of the articles passing down the chute and discharging intothe bag held bythe turret arm'at Stationv II.

As `thepaddle wheel 69 rotates, it turns vthe shaftl to which awheel "I3is secured. IThe Wheel I3 has lugs 'l'4exten'ding'radally therefrom andcorresponding in'number to the arms of the paddle wheel. As thewheel`l3'rotates, the lugs T4 strike an "arm I5 'carriedby the lever 5land raise the lever 57 from a positionwherelit is held aga-inst a stop'I6 by a. spring lTI. Them'ovement of lever 5l in this manner 'movesthe'pawl 53 downwardly -and racks 'the ratchet wheel '55 around 'onestep. When the lug 1f. releases the armvl, the lever 5l is returned bythe spring 1-1 andthe pawlis moved back into engagement with thelfollowing tooth on the ratchet wheel. As'the pawlis .being moved backin this manner, the detentl' holdsthe'rat'chet'wheel in its advancedposition.

This operation continues until the ratchet Wheel 'has been advanced "apredetermined number of teeth corresponding to the number ofarticles'required'to iill the bag. After the ratchet wheel has beenadvanced the predetermined number "of "teeth, 'an'adjustable pin 18carried on the outer side of the ratchet wheel strikes a stop T9hel'di'by'an arm "'80 'which is supported in'nxed position from a shaft8| on which the ratchet wheel turns. When the pin 18 strikes the stop19, the pawl 5'3 is held vagainst further movement by the ratchet'wheeland'this prevents lever lfroin beinglifted by the lugs 14 and preventsthe paddle wheel from turning and fruit from being discharged Irom thechute until the ratchet wheel is reset to starting 'position by the nextmovement of the turret head.

The adjustable stop pin I8 may be placed in any one vof a's'eriesofholes 82 spaced about the ratchet wheel soas to regulate the distancethat the `ratchet wheel 'can 'be racked around 'and thereby vset themechanism to discharge from the chutes the `.numbero'f articles that,depending on their size, will be required to ll the bag.

As `the fruit falls into the bag, the bag and any fruit containedtherein are jogged to settle the 'fruit in thebag to the least possiblevolume so 'as to insure that all of the fruit will remain in the bagwhen the drawstring is drawn to 'close the mouth of the bag. Thisjogging is done by apl'ateLSS, shown best in Fig. 3, which is supportedunderneath the bag being filled at station II by a lever 84. The lever84 is pivoted 011 a stud 85 and its end` engages with a cam 86 which isrotated by the main drive shaft 29. This imparts an oscillating motionto the plate 83 bringing it into and out of engagement with the bagduring the filling operation.

The turret arm carrying the lled bag is then moved to station III whereit is again stopped momentarily. Shortly after leaving station III, onthe next movement of the turret arm, a fixed cam follower 8'! strikes asecond lever arm 88 which is pivoted on the stud 39 below the lever 38.An end of the lever 88 is secured to the cam plate 4| and moves the camplate in an opposite direction to the rotation caused by the lever 39.This rocks the crank 42 so as to withdraw the grippers 43 from theopenings 44 in the side walls of the funnel 33 and from engagement withthe bag.

When the bag is released in this manner, the filled bag slips off of thebag holder I2 and falls by its own Weight until the bottom of the bagrests on a platform 89. When the bag falls to the platform, thedrawstring 32 is retained by hook 36 and is pulled tight so as to closethe mouth of the bag.

The platform 89 is rockably supported at one edge on an axle 90 and isheld in a'horizo'ntal position by a loaded spring 9| which surrounds theaxle and bears against the under side of the platform 89. The axle 90and the platform 89 are supported by rods 92 extending upwardly from asupporting framework 93. The upward movement of the platform 89 underthe influence of the loaded spring 9| is limited by a stop 94 that issecured to one of the supporting rods 92. The stop 94 holds the platformat a substantially horizontal position and prevents it rising above thatposition. As the arm continues to move,`

the bag is slid toward the unsupported edge of the platform 89 whichtilts downward to an angle of about 45 and drops the bag into adischarging hopper 95. When the bag is removed, the platform 89 isreturned to horizontal position by the spring 9|.

As the turret arm moves from stationy III to station IV, the drawstring32 is guided inside of a guide 90 and along the outer edge of a curvedplate 91. The guide 96 is supported on a rod 98 from a bracket 99 andthe plate '91 is supported on a knot tying mechanism as shown best inFigs. 8, 9 and l0. The guide 93 and the plate 91 position the drawstring32 so that it passes behind a spring-held guide |0| as it moves alongthe plate 0l'. The spring-held guide |0| isvpivot-ed at |02 on a plate99a and an arm |03, also supported on the plate 99a, is opposed to theguide |0| at its inner end. As the drawstring enters behind the guide|0|, the guide rotates through a small angle until the `drawstring 32moves to a position where the guide is permitted to return to its closedposition. When the turret arm reaches station IV, the lower end of thjedrawstring is thus held between the spring-held guide |0| and the lever|03 in engagement with a rotatable knotter head.r 'I'he rotatableknotter head has a hooked nger |05 and a finger |04 pivotally mounted onthe knotter head in kopposed relation t0 the hooked finger |05. `Asshown best in Fig. 8, the drawstring 32 `extends in back of the ends ofthe hooked finger |05 and the pivoted finger |04 and in front of theshanks thereof when the bag reaches station IV. Thus, when the knottedhead is rotated the fingers |04 kwhich are secured to an axle ||9.

and |05 engage with lthe downwardly extending portion of the drawstringand wrap the drawstring around the shanks of the knotter fingers.

The knotter finger 04 that is pivotally supported at |04a on the knotterhead is normally urged into engagement with the hooked finger |05 by aspring |0412. The end of the pivoted yknotter finger |04 engages with afixed cam ||8 that is shaped to move the pivoted finger 04 away from thehooked finger A|05 at an appropriate time to permit the upwardlyextending portion of the drawstring 32 to enter between the knotterfingers as they are rotated.

The rotatable knotter head is secured to a shaft |06 that is rotatablysupported in spaced bearings |0'| mounted on the bracket 99. A bevelgear |08 secured to the knotter shaft |06 is intermittently driven intimed relation to the operation of the machine by a bevel gear |09secured to a cross shaft ||0 and, as shown best in Figs. 3 and 9, thecross `shaft ||0 has a second bevel gear secured thereto that is drivenby a bevel gear I2 secured to a vertical drive shaft I3. As shown bestin Figures 3 and 7, the drive shaft ||3 is driven through a spur gear||4y that meshes with a gear 5 rotatably mounted on the central support|4. The gear ||5 is secured to an intermittent gear I6 that is driven bygear segment ||1 secured to the shaft 2| as shown in Figs. 13 and y14.The segmental gear IIB and the gear ||5 secured thereto are turnedone-third of a revolution by the gear segment for each revolution of theshaft 2| The ratio of the gear ||5 and the spur gear 4 is 3 to l so thatthe shaft I3 and thus, the knot tying mechanism |00, is rotated acomplete revolution for each movement of the gear l5 and for eachcomplete revolution of the shaft 2|. As previously explained, the turretarms are also moved one quarter turn for each revolution of the shaft2|.

By the arrangement just described, the knotter fingers |04 and |05 arerotated through 360 after the filled bag arrives at station IV. When theknotter fingers |04 and |05 are rotated clockwise as viewed in Fig. 10,they engage the portion of the drawstring 32 extending below the centerline of the shaft |08 and loop the drawstring about the knotter fingers|04 and |05 as previously described. During the continued rotation, thefinger |04 is opened by the fixed cam I8 and the unlooped portion of thedrawstring 32 enters between the fingers |05 and |04. At the proper timethe cam ||8 releases the finger |04 so that the unlooped portion of thedrawstring is held between the knotter fingers 04 and |05 and is posi---tioned behind a projection |040 on the pivoted finger |04.

As the knotter turns, the hopper is raised slowly to place the propertension on the drawstring and to permit the loop to be formed aroundtheknotter fingers |04 and |05. As shown best in Fig. 6, the hopper issupported on arms |9a The axle ||9 is journalled infbearings |20 and alever |2| is secured to the end of the shaft. The lever |2| is connectedby a linkage |22 to an oscillating shaft |23. The shaft |23 is held lbya bracket |24 which is secured to the central shaft I4 and has an arm|25 fixed to its end. The arm |25 carries a follower |26 which isperiodically engaged by one of a pair of rollers |21 carried 'on arotating gear .raise the hopper.

'-ls-se'curedI-te the bevel geari 22.

'zgear` |2\8"to`the1'pinion2gear-|3| is f2 to 1 setbat gvtlfref'g'earIZBf-rnakes ac'omplete revolution fortwo irevolutionsl f the shaft` 2'andfduringffeach-half P'evolution ofthe .gear |28,one"ef therollers/|21 -engageswvith the follower- |25te raise'thel'hopper 'inproperly ltimed relation to -'the operation l of the fkliotten Afterfthe fdrawstring 32 has #been I-wrapped 'around the knetter lingers 04and |05 and the `unlooped portion of the drawstring -grasped "be- 'tweenthe knetter? fingers, Y the 1 drawstring is disengaged from the'h-oekenv the yturret', head arm ybyy an arm |32. The ar1n|"32'isfsecured toasleeve |33'which ispivoted en astrid-|34 extending' from 'the fra-meSS.Th'efariwlzisbiased` out ofenlgagenient withthe drawstringunderfspringten- 'sion fand' is moved inte engagement -with `v thedrawstring at appropriate Vtime yby 'I a lever |36 which issecuredl to`sleeve- |34. The--endfof -`the lever |35 is periodically eng-agedbystuds |36 carried/by the gear I-G. 'Whenthelever |35'isin rreleasedposition, it returns under spring/tension to-aipesition' against a= stop|31'.

When the drawstring lhas been disengaged .from the hook, thehopper-55is-lewered and as illus- `trated'in Fig.-8b, vthe 4weight of the lledbagpulls the portion of the `drawstring that has been -wrapped'aroundtheknetter ngers |84 and |135 off of the knetter ngersWith-the unloopedportion of tliedrawstring 32'held between Ithe knetter lingers '|34 and|055. As illustrated in lFig. Se, when `the .portion of the drawstring32 wrapped around the i knetter yiingers '|04 and |05- slips oil oftheknotterngers;it passes overadoubled end Thex ratio vof the 5 fro orloep iermed'by the unloeped'lportion'held by .40

theknetter ngers'and the free end ofy the drawlstring-sothat a--loepisformed with ak'notbelow it. The'knotis thereafter drawn tight undertheweight of the bag. This forms a bow Vl-:net in which-the length of theloop-is' determinedfbythe distance ef thepreieetion lillcsfrernJ theendef 4vthe knetter finger |04. f As the pullon'the knotteddrawstring-is' continued theleopY ef thef'knetfsna'ps out frombetween-theknotter'lingers |04fand-ft'05.

Asthe hopper continues-tolower,y asp'ring held |38 engages 'with 'the'bottom of the fhopper onone sideand'causes the'hopperte tilt abouthinges |39 which secure the'hepper'along-itsotlrer'sidete oneofthesuppertin'garms fHSa. The tilting ofthe hopper causes'thefilledbagtoeslide yclear of the maehine'and ente-theiflee'rorfa conveyorbelt if one is provided. As the heppentilts, 'its finally reaches'aposition vwherefit clearsithe arm ISS-and is permitted to return 'toitsinitial position. In returning te itsinitial position, the `hopperpushes the spring held arm "|38 'back against compression spring |49which presses against the arm |33 through a yred 44| Tand 'a collar M2.Thearm |38 is-pivotedat 1Min-'a bracket |44.

It will be understood that fthe Avarious operations 'described aboveare-'being performed 'si- .rnultaneeusiy at'ea'ch of the stations rwhenthe machine is -in operation. It will also be'lndersteed that various'changes y'and modifications Iin the mechanism described and illustratedmay -be made by those skilled inthe art Without departing from 'thescope ef the invention as 'de- 'nned by the appended claims.

What'isiclaimed is:

1 In a bag-lling machineff the class `de .-scribed, the combina-tiencomprising a, Vrotatable sknotteri-head including llahooked linger, amovfabl'efflngerfpivetally supported en the 'knetter head inop'pesedirelation 1tosaid hooked finger and a `"spring holding saidEmovable `nger in engagement withthe hooked "finger, said lingers beingpositioned tofengage withfadrawstring of la filled bag and "a'xedearnVengaging with the movable'ilnger, :Said -Cam'being designed `to moveL'said r'movable rrger' away from tthe hooked finger:tozpermit'thedrawstring 'of thefbagto enter be- T'ft'ween the-ingerseduring rotation of the knetter head.

:2.1Inf'a bagelling rinachine 'of the class de- `s`cribed, lthe*combination v4as 'defined in claim vl wherein fatfprojeetionfcarriedbythe movable fingerextends-leetween'the fingers Awhen they -a're linengagement said projection 4engaging with "theffperti'emof"the-drawstring held between the lingers to form an elongated loop of abow knot.

'f3.fInfabag/filling machine of 'the class de- 'f-s'cribed,the-'combination 'as defined in claim `1 v`includingafhopperlecatedbeneath the knetter fliead"forfsilpportingithe b'ag withitsdrawstring 'in Cengagement lvith 'the' fingers on the 'knetter aheadfand-'means for raisin'g'and leweringsald hopper as the knetter head isrotated.

"4. vIn -a bag-filling v"rn'achine of =thefelass y'described, thecembinatie'nfof a retatable'knotter zheadincluding aheekedllingerf'a-mevable fin- "ger'piv'otally suppeiteden the-'knetterhead'ln f'ppose'd relation to thehooked'ngerfa spring 'normally holdingthe'linovable 'finger' in engage- A"ment-with'thehookedlinger 'and `amember carried *by one 'of v'said' fingers and extending between thelingers" when they are inengagei'nent, "said (lin'gersibeing positionedte engage with a. drawstringof aniiedlbag'whenthe knetter head isrotatedgafxed camengaging with the end tof 4thernovaiile"'ilng'er, 'saidcam being designed "to Yopen Ithe'tingers te'pe'rmit the drawstring teenter the fingers as the knetter head is rotated, a 'hopperlocatedbeneath Vvthe knetter head for Supporting the filled bag with itsdrawstring in engagement vwith the fingers of the knetter head and meansfor raising and lowering the hopper iuri'n'g the rotatienofthe knetter.

`5. 'In a bag-lling machine vof the class delseribe'd, the combination-as dened in claim 4 including a vguide engaging with and positioningtheldrawstring lfor engagement by the ngers of the knetter head.

6. 'An'apparatus of Ithe type described for filling 'a 'bag having adrawstring closure with a "predetermined 'number of articles, closingthe mouth ef thebagy tying the drawstring and discharging the'lled bag,the combination which includes a. seriesof radially extendingarms'rotatable as a. unit about-a fixed axisyafmember carriedV atthe endof each of said -arms for supporting a bag in open-mouthed .position oneach Iof Is'aid-armsysaid members including grippers engaging withIthe-sides of the bag, operating levers lconnected ter-the grippersand-a draw- 'string-eng'agingimember engaging with the drawstring ofthebag,-anintermittent-movement convnected -to said( arms for moving thearms asa unit about the fixed axisand positioning thefarms sequentiallyvata series of spaced positions, afeed mechanism located at one of saidpositions for delivering apredetermined number of articles to 'the bagat'said position, cams engaging with and operating vthegrippereoperating levers upon 'yineve'm'en'tef the arms, sai'd `'camsbeing posi- "tlend "to bring ithe grippers 4into "engagement withtheusides of the bag prior to the bag-filling position of the armsand torelease the grippers from engagement with the bag at the position of thearms following said bag-filling position, a pivotedl platform locatedbeneathy the filled bag at said bag-releasing position, said platformbeing tiltable downwardly under the weight of the filled bag, areciprocating hopper located at the position of the arms following saidbag-releasing position, said hopper being positioned to receive the lledlbag from said tiltable platform upon movement of the arms, a knottingmechanism positioned to engage with the drawstring of the bag as the bagis moved from they platform to the hopper, means for operating said-'knotting mechanism to tie a knot 'in the drawstring and means forsimultaneously raising thehopper during operation of the knottingmechanism. l

7. An apparatus of the type described for filling a `baghaving a:drawstring closure with a predetermined Vnumber of articles closing themouth of the bag, tying the drawstringy and discharging the filledbag,'the combination of a series of radially extending arms, said armsbeing rotatable as a unit about a fixed axis, a member carried at theend of each of said arms for supporting a bag in open-mouthed positionon each of said arms, said members including grippers engaging with thesides ofthe bag, operating levers connected to the grippers and adrawstring-engaging member engaging with the drawstring of the bag, anintermittent movement connected to said arms for moving the arms as aunit about the fixed axis and positioning the arms sequentially at aseries of spaced positions, a feed mechanism located at one of saidpositions for delivering a predetermined number of articles to the bagat said position, cams engaging with and operating the gripper-operatinglevers upon movement of the arms, said cams being positioned to bringthe grippers into engagement with the sides of the bag prior to thebag-filling position of the arms and to release the grippers fromengagement with the bag at the position of the arms following saidbag-filling position, a pivoted platform located beneath the filled bagat said bag-releasing position, said platform being tiltable downwardlyunder the weight of the filled bag, a reciprocating hopper located atthe position of the arms following said bagreleasing position, saidhopper being positioned to receive the filled bag from said tiltableplatform upon movement of the arms, a knotting mechanism engaging withthe drawstring of the bag as the bag is moved from the platform to thehopper, means for operating said knotting mechanism to tie a knot in thedrawstring, means for simultaneously raising the hopper as the knot istied, and means for tilting the hopper to discharge the lled bagtherefrom as said hopper is lowered.

8. An apparatus of the type described Afor lling a bag having adrawstring closure with a predetermined number of articles, closing themouth of the bag, tying the drawstring and discharging the filled bag,the combination of a series of radially extending arms, said arms beingrotatable as a unit about a fixed axis, a member carried at the end ofeach of said arms for supporting a bag in open-mouthed position on eachof said arms, said members including grippers engaging with the sides ofthe bag, operating levers connected to the grippers and adrawstring-engaging member engaging with the drawstring of the bag, anintermittent movement connected to ,said arms for moving the arms asa.unit about the `fixed axis and positioning the arms sequentiallyat `aseriesof spaced positions, a feed mechanism located at one of saidpositions, said feed mechanism ybeing capable of deliveringapredetermined numberof articles to the bag at said position, means forinitiating operation of said `feed mechanism-said means being operable.by the bag-supporting arms in their movement from one position to thenext position, cams engaging with and operating the gripper-operatinglevers upon movement of the arms, said cams-being'positioned `to bringthe grippers into` engagement with the sides of the bag prior tothebag-lling position of the arms and to release-fthe .grippers fromengagement withthe .bag at a position of the arms followingsaidnbag-filling position, a pivoted platform located beneaththe filledbag `at' said bag-releasing position, said .platform being tiltabledownwardly under the .weightof the filled bag, a reciprocating hopperlocated yat a position of the armsfollowing the .bag-releasing position,said hopper being positioned to receive the filled bag fromsaid'tiltable platform,.a knotting mechanism engaging with 4thedrawstring of the bag as the bag ismoved from the platform to' thehopper, means for operatingsaid knotting mechanism to tiea knot in adrawstring and means for raising the hopper as the knot is being tied.

9.' An apparatus of the type described for filling a bag having adrawstring closure with a predetermined number of articles, closing themouth of the bag, tying the drawstring and discharging the filled bag,the combination of a series of radially extending, bag-supporting arms,said arms being rotatable as a unit about a fixed axis, means on saidarms for securing a bag in openmouthed position at the ends thereof,said means being operable by movement of the arms to secure the bag tothe arms and to release the bag from said arms, means on each of saidarms for holding a bag closing drawstring, an intermittent movementconnected to said arms for moving the arms as a unit about the fixedaxis and positioning the arms sequentially at a series of spacedpositions, means for feeding a predeterminedV number of articles to thebag at one of said spaced positions, transferring means for receiving afilled bag at a second oi said positions upon release of the filled bagfrom the bag-supporting arm at said position, a reciprocable hopperlocated at a third of said positions, said hopper being positioned toreceive the filled bag from said transferring means, a knottingmechanism engaging with the drawstring of the bag as the arms move fromthe second to the third of said spaced positions, means for operatingthe knotting mechanism to tie a knot in the drawstring at said thirdposition and means for raising the hopper as the knotting mechanism isoperated.

10. In a bag-filling apparatus of the type described wherein a series ofbags having drawstring closures are supported in open-mouthed positionat the ends of a series of rotatable arms and are moved by said arms inintermittent steps through a series of spaced positions where theoperations of filling the bag, closing the filled bag, tying thedrawstring and discharging the bag are performed simultaneously at eachof said positions and in sequence on the individual bags, thecombination of a feed mechanism for delivering a number of articles to abag at the first of said positions, means for initiating operation ofsaid feed meansby movemenaot the bagssupponting arms; in moving thebagltol said first position, a pivoted. platform positioned beneath.artlled. bal at the second. of said positioneren receiving a Jled bagfrom. oney of the: armsnat: said-1 position', said. platform beingtiltable; downwardlyl under the weight. of the bag, a. reeinrocable.hopper 1o.- cated at the thirdg otl said positions,.said1 hopper being:positioned tol receive the filledy bag from said platformanda knotter;locatedat said third position for tying the drawstring of. the-.nlladbag.

11. Ina llinz a drawstringtypeof bag and tying; the.` drawstring; ofthef bag. after filling', the. combination r Whchiineludes means. forming.l a. lnot ina drawstring closing` a bag, said means. including. a.rotatable; knotterhead.l en.- gaging-.with the. drawstringotthe bai,.avatically reciprocabie hopper located. beneath` the. knetter head,said hopper, supporting the bagA thereon with: the: drawstring inypositions. for' engagement with, thevr knot-ter. head1drivenneansJ forro.- tatng.. said: knotter: head and. raising, the hopper as saidltnotimfy head'is-.rotatem 12= In a machina fmtllimzv a drawstringtypeofbag and tying. the. drawstring;-V of'. the.v bag after filling, the;oombinationwhich `inludesuneams for tying a. knot; in a. drawtringtclosing arbagi. said means includingfarotatabie knetter head engage ingwith. the` drawstring: oi. the bag; a. vertically i2 reciprocabie hopperlocatedi bcneathz the knohr head, seidihopper being; pivoted along# one:side thereof: and supporting the bag thereon with' the drawstring inposition for engagement with the kniotterI heads; drive.- meanslorrotating said' knottel'. head; and. raising the hopper as saidl'znliit!` heady isrotated anni a; member positioned to en gage with andtotiltthe-hopper about its pivoted side.- as. the hopper returns fromits raised pa- Sin;

EDWARDE. WIST.

Referenes Citedf n. the file 0i. this DMS UNITED STATES. PATENTS Number'Name Date 480,226 Benedict Aug.. 2, 1892 619,834 Nickerson Peb. ZI.,1899 659,024l Gerbracht et;v al. Oct. 2, 1900 1,084,799 Heinzen Ian.20;.1914 1,119,693." Gutlenv Dec. 1, 1914 1,425,802 Sparks Aug; 1519221,518,310 Dalton Dec. 9;` 1924 1,726,060 Doble Aug. 27', 1929 1,900,907lBuxton Mar. 14,1933 2,060,645 Suppiger et a1 Nov. 10,1936 2,204,126"Domke June 11,1940 2,459,530' Johnston Jan. 18, 1949 23460,'489 Burka'rdFeb. 1, 1949 2,464,689 Dashew` Nov. 23, 1949

